


Seven Years of Perfection

by unknowableroom_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Marauders' Era, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-10-20
Updated: 2009-10-20
Packaged: 2019-01-19 05:51:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12404340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unknowableroom_archivist/pseuds/unknowableroom_archivist
Summary: Seven years; seven instances of perfection in Lily and James.





	Seven Years of Perfection

**Author's Note:**

> Note from ChristyCorr, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Unknowable Room](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Unknowable_Room), a Harry Potter archive active from 2005-2016. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after May 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Unknowable Room collection profile](http://www.archiveofourown.org/collections/unknowableroom).

  
Author's notes: 1  


* * *

** AN - To the followers of _Pocket_ , I'm really sorry. I've been terribly uninspired of late. But inspiration struck me with this. I'm not abandoning _Pocket_ altogether...I'll return to it eventually. But for now, this is it.  **

** **

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** There’ll be nine chapters altogether (a prologue, a chapter for each school year and an epilogue).  **

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** Reviews are love. ~Bella~ **

** **

** Prologue: Sorry I’m not perfect **

Lily Evans stands at the end of the corridor and watches in disgust. 

Severus Snape cowers in the corner as James Potter, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew stand before him, their backs to her. Though she can’t see what they’re doing, she can hear them throwing casual jinxes at him amidst the boyish laughter. She notices that Remus is conspicuously absent, as he always seems to be when the other three are doing something he disapproves of. 

She looks at Snape’s pathetic figure slumped on the floor and at the backs of the three Marauders and she hates them even more. She hates Sirius’ back, shuddering slightly with laughter. She hates Peter’s back for being so small and pathetic himself. She hates James’ back with his stupid Quidditch toned muscles and his stupid messy hair and his stupid Potter-ness.

“Oi! Potter!”� she calls, and all four boys turn to stare at her. 

James raises a sceptical brow as she approaches. A smug grin spreads across his face. 

“What the hell are you doing, Potter? Just because you’ve got two stupid friends who do whatever you tell them to, doesn’t mean you get to go round doing what you want.”� She gestures towards Snape.  “What’s he ever done to you?”� 

“Well,”� says James, looking at Sirius, “He’s Snivellus, isn’t he?”�

“Yeah,”� agrees Sirius, “I mean, just look at his bloody nose Evans. It’s a health and safety issue, being so large and all.”�

“And his hair,”� James gestures vaguely at Snape,  “He’s got to have some sort of punishment for never washing it. I reckon his mother would be pleased that we’re teaching him such a valuable lesson. Hygiene is important.”�

Lily looks at him in disbelief. “What in the name of Merlin is wrong with you? You can’t treat people like that! You can’t just _be_ like that to people. What makes you so special that means you can treat him like crap?”�

“Do you really want me to answer that?”� says James.

“Yes. If you think there’s something so great about you that gives you the right to behave like a complete tosser to everyone, then I’d love to hear it.”�

“I’m stunningly handsome-”�

“You’re also an arrogant toe rag.”�

“I’m Quidditch captain-”�

“And you never stop letting us forget it.”�

“I’m popular-”�

“Only because people are too intimidated by you _not_ to like you.”� 

“My hair is perfect-”�

“Because you spend hours making it stick up like that.”�

“I’m amazingly intelligent-”�

“Not as intelligent as Remus.”�

“All the girls in the school are head-over-heals in love with me-”�

“I’m not.”�

James lets out a grunt of anger. (He almost stomps his foot in childish frustration. Almost) 

“Well, I’m better than Snivellus.”�

“It doesn’t matter!”� yells Lily, now utterly furious.  “You’re selfish, Potter. You’re arrogant. You may get good grades but you don’t deserve them, seeing as you never put any bloody effort into anything. You and your stupid little friends strut around this school like you own it. You treat people like crap and you don’t ever-”�

“ _Well,_ _ I’m sorry I’m not perfect _ !”� yells James suddenly, his face strained trying to hold back tears.

Lily and James both stop abruptly, suddenly aware of how loud they’ve been. The sentence hangs heavy in the air between them as they stare at each other, breathing loudly. 

Lily shoves James and Sirius aside and unceremoniously pulls Snape to his feet.

She glares at him steady and even as he stares back, his face contorted in anger. 

“You’re such a prat, Potter,”� she says in a quiet breath.

Sirius makes a move towards her but James holds his arm out, blocking Sirius. 

Never breaking his gaze with Lily, he says simply,  “Leave it mate. She’s not worth it.”�

Cool tears are welling up in Lily’s eyes.

Hot tears are pricking the backs of James’ eyes.

As Lily stares at James, willing herself not to cry, she hates herself for being so bloody noble. 

But more than that, she hates the fact that she seems to always be fighting with the boy in front of her, the boy who — in spite of herself — she is so sure has something more to him than just being an arrogant prat. 

As James stares at Lily, willing himself not to cry, he hates himself for being such a bully.

But more than that, he hates the fact that even now, when she’s glaring at him, so full of hatred, he still wishes he was holding her in his arms.

** **


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